Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a method for controlling the information processing apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
When an image forming apparatus is newly introduced into a client site, initial installation work for an image forming apparatus needs to be previously performed depending on its use environment. The initial installation work includes work, for example, attachment of a hardware option, such as a finisher for finishing a printed product, setting of a control program for the image forming apparatus, activation of a license of an extended function, and installation of an expansion program.
As the expansion program, a system with which an add-in to a program for the image forming apparatus is enabled and a vendor can extend a function of the image forming apparatus is popular. This type of system includes MEAP (registered trademark) manufactured by Canon Inc.
A program for storing installation instruction information including an execution procedure for initial installation work, a control program, and an expansion program are stored in a portable storage medium and the portable storage medium is inserted into an image forming apparatus as a target of the initial installation work, so that a program automatically performs the initial insulation work according to the installation instruction information.
An installation instruction information management system (hereinafter referred to as “management system”) for generating and managing installation instruction information designates the order of instillation instructions and setting value information required for the installation instructions, an expansion program, and license information. The installation instruction information as a target of initial installation work is stored in a portable storage medium.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-143111 discusses a method for setting a setting value dedicated to initial insulation work by using a client personal computer (PC). With such a technique, an image forming apparatus and the client PC can be connected to each other only using Peer2Peer, and the image forming apparatus cannot be connected to an external server.
Among setting values requested by a client, a setting value corresponding to a setting item that causes initial installation work not to be implemented if the setting value is set, differs depending on an installation work method. Therefore, in a conventional technique, an operator is required to previously determine the setting item that causes the initial installation work not to be implemented, and prepare setting values to be used during the initial installation work.
For example, if a setting value for inhibiting the client from using a portable storage medium is set, installation using installation instruction information stored in the portable storage medium cannot be performed in the initial installation work.
In a case where installation instruction information required for the initial installation work is stored in an external server, and the installation instruction information is referred to for the initial installation work, and if an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the external server in a use environment of the client is set, installation cannot be correctly performed.
Conventionally, in a case where the initial installation work is performed using the portable storage medium or the external server, an operator is required to generate an installation instruction information by taking into consideration of the order of installation instructions so that the setting value does not affect the initial installation work, which is significantly complicated and difficult.